Shirt ironing machine



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. B. RESWICK ETAL SHIRT IRONING MACHINE April 23, 1963.

Filed May 19, 1959 V VENTORS W KWP' April 23, 1963 J. B. RESWICK ETAL 3,086,686

SHIRT IRONING MACHINE Filed. May 19, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR.

April 23, 1963 J. B. RESWICK ETAL SHIRT IRONING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 19, 1959 5 INVENTOR; BY MR April 23, 1963 Filed May 19, 1959 J. B. RESWICK ETAL SHIRT IRONING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Q lm alvrog April 23, 1963 J. B. REYSWICK ETAL 3,

SHIRT IRONING. MACHINE Filed May 19, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN TOR.

United States Patent 5,086,686 srm'r EBONWG MACIHNE James B. Reswick, Cambridge, and Hans A. Hug, Norwooii, Mass, assignors to Garment Finishing Equipment Corporation, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed lvlay 19, 1959, Ser. No. 814,218 Claims. (Cl. 22352.1)

This invention relates to ironing devices for shirts and more particularly to an ironing device for ironing the neck band and/ or shirt collar. Collar ironing devices are conventionally and particularly used in shirt manufacturing plants and laundries where it is desirable to produce a fresh folded shirt in a particularly neat fashion. It has been found that shirts folded with a stand up collar are particularly desirable. A shirt with a stand up collar is one in which the collar projects angularly upward from the plane of the body of the folded shirt and thereby forms a well about the yoke of the shirt. Such an arrangement in a folded shirt has heretofore been effected in the trade by means of devices such as illustrated and described in US. Letters Patent 2,192,786 issued March 5, 1940 to H. R Campbell.

Ironing devices of the character illustrated in the Campbell patent and other earlier devices, however, have functioned to produce an ironed collar with a straight back portion and curved side portion at each side of the neck. The collar produced therefore does not conform to the human neck which is as much curved at the back as at the side and front. For an ironing device to iron a collar or neckband into a shape which conforms to the human neck, it must perform its work so as to iron the collar into a shape which resembles something intermediate a pear and heart shape. The configuration may best be described as a triangular shape deformed to have convex sides and rounded corners. For convenience this may be referred to as an arcuate shape. An object of the present invention is to produce an ironing device which will uniformly iron the entire rear inner portion of a neckband or collar, which normally touches the wearers neck, into a stand up arcuate shape substantially follow ing the true contour of the back of an individuals neck.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an ironing device capable of ironing a wide variety of different sized shirt collars into stand up arcuate shapes with a minimum adjustment needed for adapting the device for different size shirts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a shirt collar ironing device having a plurality of moveable ironing blocks adapted to engage the inner surface of the shirt collar to effect an ironed neckband or collar having an arcuate shape with the rear portion of the collar ironed by positive engagement with the ironing blocks.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an ironing device having ironing blocks providing a contoured surface adapted to engage a substantial portion of the neckband or collar.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide means whereby different sized shirt collars may be ironed with uniform distances between the forward and rear parts of the collar, and with the collar pressed evenly all around the inside of the back in the area most noticeable to the observer.

Another object of this invention is to produce a device having a plurality of ironing elements in which at least one of the ironing elements can be manually disconnected from the motivating means without affecting the operative movement of the other ironing element.

In part we accomplish these and other objects by forming Patented Apr. 23, 1963 my device in such a manner that a pair of symmetrically positioned wing shaped side ironing blocks simultaneously move laterally away from each other and also rotate, and in so doing longitudinally motivate an arcuate shaped back ironing plate when the side blocks move outwardly to iron the rear or back and sides of the neckband or collar. The wing shaped blocks are adapted to iron the neck portions adjacent the back and the plate is adapted to iron the back thus forming a continuous curved means for ironing the neck portion between the neck sides and back;

These and other objects and advantages will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, and in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views, where,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a neck band or collar ironing device embodying my invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line 55 of FIG. 2.

The unit illustrated in the drawings and to which the present invention is directed is adapted to be secured to a shirt ironing table in the same manner as a previously mentioned Campbell patent with the ironing members for the shirt collar positioned beneath an opening in the table so that the shirt being ironed may be placed with the collar facing downwardly over the shirt ironing members. Conventional controls, either manually or foot operated, may be utilized for effecting the operation of the present invention. To secure the unit to a shirt ironing table, there is provided a frame having side members 18 and 19 and end members 20 and 21 forming a rectangular frame. End members 20 and 21 project above the side members with their upper edges bent inwardly to form lips 22 and 23-, through which screws or bolts pass to secure the unit to the undersurface of the shirt ironing table.

Operatively supported within this frame in a manner to be described, are side ironing blocks 11, forward ironing block 12 and an arcuate ironing plate 13, as well as a canopy 14. These elements 11, 12, 13 and 14 form the ironing surfaces which come into contact with the neck band and yoke of the shirt being ironed. These elements should, therefore, each be formed of stainless steel or other similar material adapted to produce a good ironing surface. The side ironing blocks 11 are each formed with a wing 15 arranged in a vertical plane with an arcuate curved rear surface 16. The main body portions 17, of the side ironing blocks 11 project downwardly a short distance below the lower edges of the wings 15, for clearance and are supported on bases 22. The side ironing blocks 11 are secured to these bases 22, for pivotal movement by shafts 24 (see FIG. 4) projecting upwardly from the bases 22 through a vertical opening in the main body portion 17 of the ironing blocks 11. Caps 25 fitted into an off-set opening in the main body portion 17 are secured to the shafts 24 and secure the ironing blocks 11 in position for rotation about the shafts 24. The bases 22 are each in turn supported on heating blocks 26. The bases 22 :are secured to the heating blocks 26 by screws 27 projecting downwardly from the bases 22 into the heating blocks 26. Each heating block 26 is provided with an internal passage within which may be secured a heating cartridge 28 of conventional design. Power to these heating cartridges 28 may be supplied by conventional means through the wires 29.

The heating blocks 26 are in turn supported on carriages 31 for lateral movement. Screws 32 securely hold the heating blocks 26 to the carriages 61 with thermally insulating members 33 sandwiched therebetween. The carriages 31 are formed of rectangular metal blocks 3 symmetrically arranged. at the sides of the unit. Each block is provided with a transversely extending channel 36 at its forward edge and a transversely extending passagenear its rear edge as indicated at 37 (see FIGURES -1 and 2). 'Guide rails 38 and 39 project respectively through the channel and passages 36 and 37 and are secured at their ends to the side members 18 and 19 respectively by suitable means. These carriages are adapted I to slide freely in, a lateral direction when actuated by means more fully described hereinafter for moving the carriage, the heating blocks, bases and side ironing blocks. Actuation of the carriages 31 is effected by a control plate 40, best illustratedin FIG. 5. This control plate is formed of rigid sheet metal and is provided with substantially a rectangular surface having elongated slots 41 and. 42 extending :at 45 angles inwardly from adjacent corners at the rear edge of the plate. A pair of upstanding tabs43 and 44 at the forward and rear edges of the plate 40 are provided each with a pair ofaligned openings through which project the longitudinal guide rails 45 and 46. This control plate 40 is freely slidable on the rails 45 and 46 and is supported thereby. In turn,

guided by the control plate 40 are a pair of roller bearings 48 and 49 as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, positioned respectively in the slots 42 and 41. The roller bearings 48 and 49 are in turn mounted on shafts 50' and 51 respectively, each in turn secured to lower surfaces of carriages 31 as best seen in FIG. 4. Thus, when the control plate 140 is moved longitudinally along the rails 45 and 46,

the roller bearings 48 and 49 will be caused to move in a lateral direction, thus actuating a lateral movement of the carriage '31, and in turn a lateral movement of the side ironing blocks 11. The control plate 40 is in turn actuated by a piston rod 120 projecting through the forward end member 20 of the frame and secured at its inner end to the ,plate 40 by means of a flange 53 attached to the the rail 46 passes and a channel at one :side through which the rail 45 passes, as best illustrated in FIGURE 1. As is illustratedin FIGURES there is also providedia vertical slot shown in dotted outline .at .61. 'Thisslot extends above and below'the channel through which the -rail 45 .extendspand is aligned'with an opening 65 in the plate 40. The railv 45 isadapted to be axially rotated by means of .an externalhandle or knob 63, the rail being suitably jour- -naledin the end walls 20 and 21. s This rail 45 carries with it the radially extending pin-62 adapted to be rotated with rotation of the rail. 45 into and outof locking rela- .tions with the slots 61 and .65. When. the rail is rotated so that the pin 62 projects through the slot 61 into the slot 65, the carriage 60. is 'lockedfor longitudinal movement with :the plate 40. Thus, as the lateral movement of the side ironing members .is effected by reciprocal movement of the plate 40, the carriage 60 will also be reciprocally moved into a longitudinal direction; Thus, the three ironing blocks 11 and 12 will, move radially outward from the common center uniformly when carriage 60 is locked to theplate 40. If it is desired :to permit-thefironing block 12 to remain at a constant position so as to maintain a'uniform length in the necks of the collars ironed the ironing blocks 11 may be laterally moved only. :For

this, the pin 62 is disengaged from .the slots 61 and 65.

Under these conditions, the carriage60will move inwardly simultaneously with inward movement of 'the side ironing blocks. due to its engagementwithzthe tab. 43. .However, as the carriage 60 is not fixedto thistab .43.on reverse movement of the pl'ate'40', the ironing block 12 and carriagev60 :will remain in an innermost position and will Icmain in this position during all.subsequentoperation.of

the unit. Under these conditions, the distance between the forward and rearmost portions of the three ironing blocks will remain constant with variations in space in the ironing process being accounted for by the lateral movement of the ironing blocks 11. The carriage 60 has supported on it, a heating block 66 of metal which is suitably secured by screws 67 to the carriage 60 with an intermediate layer of thermally insulating material 68. The forward ironing block 12 is formed with a base flange 69 having the main body 70 of the block projecting upwardly from this integrally formed flange. The main body 70 of the block is formed with vertical rear walls '71 and 72 angularly intersecting and extending from the upper surface of the block 66 to the upper surface 73 of the ironing block 12. The forward wall 74defines an enl'arged lower portion of the body 7 0 with a convex surface tapering into a concave and narrowed upper section of the body 70. The periphery of the upper surface 73 is defined bya flared lip 75 extending from the end of the wall 71 to one end of wall 7-2. The block 12 is secured by a plurality of screws projecting through the flange; 69 into the heating block 66. A plurality of threaded openings 81 may be provided in the heating block 69 so as to permit longitudinal adjustment on the heating block 66 of the ironing block 12. The heating'block 66 may be heated by a cartridge of conventional design indicated in FIGURE 1 at 82 suitably connected to a heating power source by means of wires 83.

A supportingmember 88 is longitudinally mounted on the rails 45 and 46. -This supporting member has the rails 45 and 46 projecting through a channel and opening longitudinally passing through the supporting member with the supporting member suitably keyed to rail 46 but not rail 45 to prevent longitudinal movement of member 88. Thus, this supporting member 88 remains ata relatively fixed position to the wall 21. Supported upon the member 88 is a heating block 89 housing a heating cartridge 90 of conventional design, which may be sup- .plied'with electrical power for heating by means of Wires 91 '(FIG. 1) suitably connected to a power source. An insulating member 93 may be interposed between the heating block 89 and supporting member '88 with the block 89 and member 88 secured together by screws 94 or other suitable means. Mounted on the heating block 89 is a guide plate 95. This guide plate 95 as illustrated in FIGURE 1 in particular, has substantially a rectangular portion 96 and a tongue portion shown in dotted outline at 97 projecting outwardly from and in the same plane as the main body portion 96. This plate may be suitably secured to the heating block 89 by screws 121. Three converging slots 98, '99 and are formed in this plate 95. The slots extend through the plate with slot 99 parallel to the rails 45 and 46 and slots 98 and .100 symmetrical with and angularly diverging from slot 99. Slot 98 and 100 form an acute angle with slot 99 and project rearwardly at an angle somewhat less than 90. These slots 98, 99 and 100 are used to coordinate the relative movement of the side ironing blocks 11 and arcuate ironing plate 13. Pins 102 project downwardly one each from the outer extremes of the wings 15 of the side ironing blocks 11. These pins 102 project into and are guided one each within the slots 98 and 100. Thus, as the ironing blocks 11 are moved laterally, they simultaneously are rotated about their axis on the shafts 24.

The arcuate heating plate 13 is formed with an upper forwardly extending lip 103 and an arcuate rear surface 104. The lip 103 extends over the upper surface of side ironing blocks 11 at the wings while the arcuate surface 104 projects into overlappingcontact with the arcuate rearward surfaces 16 as illustrated at 105 in FIGURE 1. The plate 13 has welded or otherwise suitably secured to its forward surface an angular rod 106 (FIGURE 3) which projects downwardly into the slot 99 and is guided therein. The leg 107 of the angular rod 106 projects for- .wardly and has secured to it at its forward end a helical spring 108. The forward end of the helical spring 108 is secured to a cross pin 109, in turn, secured at its ends between two side plates 110 and 111. :Ihese side plates extend upwardly from either side of the tongue 97 and are secured to the tongue at their lower edges by means of screws 112. If desired, slots may be formed in the plates 110 and 111 for passage of the screws 112 to permit vertical adjustment as is illustrated at 113 (FIGURE 3). The upper edges of the plates 110 and 111 are flanged laterally as illustrated in FIGURE 1 at 114. The canopy 14 is welded or otherwise suitably secured at its lower surfaces to these flanges 114.

It will therefore be noted in the operation of this device that the canopy 14 as well as the blocks 11, 12 and 13 are each heated by conduction. Upon actuation of the plate 49, for reciprocal longitudinal movement on the rails 4-5 and 46 by means of a rod 126 connected to the plate 40 by a flange 121, the side ironing blocks 11 will be reciprocally moved along the rails 38 and 39. Simultaneously and if desired by engaging the locking pin 62 into the slot 69 of the plate 40 the forward ironing block 12 may be moved, but in a longitudinal reciprocal motion. The arcuate plate 13 moves reciprocally on the fixed guide plate 95. Real-ward movement of the plate 13 is effected on outward movement of the ironing blocks 11. As the ironing blocks 11 move outwardly, the tips of the wings 15 are guided in the slots 98 and 100, thus causing rearward pressure against the forward surface of the plate 13, causing it to move rearwardly against the tension of the spring 108 with the plate 13 guided in the slot 100. On inward movement of the side ironing blocks 11 the spring 108 draws the plate 13 forward.

If desired the ironing block 12 may be disengaged and allowed to remain stationary in a rear-most position so as to make uniform the distance between the forward and rear parts of all the shirts ironed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shirt neckband ironing device for forming the neckband in substantially a triangular shape with rounded side corners and a uniformly pressed back portion between said side corners, a pair of side ironing blocks having arcuate surfaces adapted to engage the .inner surface of a collar and form said side corners, a front ironing block for ironing the front of said collar, an ironing plate having a convex ironing surface interposed between said side ironing blocks for ironing the inner surface of said back portion between said side ironing blocks, means commonly mounting said side ironing blocks, front ironing block and plate for reciprocal movement to and from a common center, and means for reciprocating said blocks and plate.

2. In a shirt neckband ironing device for forming the neckband in substantially a triangular shape with rounded side corners and a uniformly pressed back portion between said side corners, a pair of side ironing blocks having outer convex surfaces adapted to form said rounded side corners, a unitary ironing plate having a rear wall symmetrically interposed between said side ironing blocks adapted to press said back portion, means commonly mounting said blocks and plate for reciprocal movement toward and away from one another comprising a control plate position below said blocks and ironing plate, said means adapted to continuously maintain said surfaces and wall contiguous with one another.

3. In a shirt neckband ironing device for forming the neckband in substantially a triangular shape with rounded side corners and a uniformly pressed back portion between said side corners, a pair of side ironing blocks having convex outer surfaces adapted to form said rounded side corners, pivot means individually mounting each of said blocks for rotation on an upstanding axis nonuniformly spaced from points along said surfaces, an ironing plate having a convex rear wall adapted to press said back portion, means commonly mounting said blocks and plate for reciprocal movement towards and away from one another in a plane substantially normal to the planes of said surfaces and wall, and means for maintaining said wall in substantial tangential alignment with said surfaces as said blocks and plate are reciprocated.

4. In a shirt neckband ironing device for forming the neckband in substantially a triangular shape with rounded side corners and a uniformly pressed back portion between said side corners, a pair of side ironing blocks having convex outer surfaces adapted to form said rounded side corners, pivot means rotatably supporting said blocks for pivoting each on an upstanding axis spaced from points along said surfaces, a unitary ironing plate having a rear wall with spaced ends for ironing the inner surface of said neckband, means commonly mounting said plate and blocks for reciprocal sliding movement toward and away from each other and means operatively interengaging the ends of said plate with said surfaces for maintaining said ends and surfaces in substantial tangential alignment as said movements are effected.

5. In a shirt neckband ironing device for forming the neckband in substantially a triangular shape with rounded side corners and a uniformly pressed back portion between said side corners, a pair of side ironing blocks each having a top and bottom and a curved outer surface extending between said top and bottom and adapted to form said rounded side corners, means individually pivotally supporting said blocks for pivotal displacement of each of said surfaces about a separate axis normal to each of said bottoms, means mounting said pivotal means for lateral reciprocal movement, an ironing plate having an upwardly extending rear wall with ends substantially tangentially aligned with said surfaces, means commonly mounting said plate for longitudinal reciprocal movement, and means operatively interengaging said mounting means for said plate and said pivotal supporting means for synchronized movement of said plate and blocks.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 including a forward ironing block adapted to iron the forward portion of a neckband, and means for effecting reciprocal longitudinal movement of said forward ironing block.

7. In a shirt neckband ironing device for forming the neckband in substantially a triangular shape with rounded side corners and a uniformly pressed back portion be :ween said side corners, a pair of side ironing blocks each having a top and bottom and a curved outer surface extending between said top and bottom and adapted to form said rounded side corners, means individually pivotally supporting said blocks for pivotal displacement of each of said surfaces about a separate axis normal to each of said bottoms, an ironing plate having an upwardly extending convex rear wall with ends substantially aligned with said surfaces, a forward ironing block, means individually mounting said blocks and plate, longitudinally extending rail means slideably supporting said means mounting said forward block and plate for reciprocal longitudinal movement, laterally extending rail means slideably supporting said means mounting said side ironing blocks, means on said device commonly supporting said rail means and actuating means for synchronized movement of said mounting means.

8. A device as set forth in claim 7 wherein said actuating means comprises a fiat plate slideably mounted on said longitudinally extending rail means, with guide means formed in said fiat plate extending angularly with respect to said longitudinally extending rail means and means operatively interengaging said means mounting said side ironing blocks and said guide means.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means mounting said ironing plate comprises a fixed template having three angularly divenging channels with said ironing plate slideably secured for longitudinal movement in the center channel and with means interengaging said other channels and side blocks for effecting simultaneous rotational movement of said side blocks adapted to effect said longitudinal movement of said ironing plate on said rotational movement and means for heating said blocks engaging said forward ironing block from actuation by and plate. 'said reciprocating means.

10. In a shirt neckband ironing device side ironing blocks, a forward ironing block and ironing plate adapted References Cited in file h Patent respectively to iron the sides, front and rear inner sur- 5 T T ES E T faces of a neckband, means on said device for commonly 2 29 09 Fregman A 8, 1953 supporting and simultaneously reciprocally sliding said 2,386,221 Todd May 12,1959 forward block and said plate away from and towards one 2,907,503 Frost ct QG, 195- 9 another for engagement and disengagement with the inner 2,931,545 Renick Apr. 5, 1960 surface of said neckband and, means for selectively dis- 10 2,942,763 Schultz June 28, 1960 

1. IN A SHIRT NECKBAND IRONING DEVICE FORMING THE NECKBAND IN SUBSTANTIALLY A TRIANGULAR SHAPE WITH ROUNDED SIDE CORNERS AND A UNIFORMLY PRESSED BACK PORTION BETWEEN SAID SIDE CORNERS, A PAIR OF SIDE IRONING BLOCKS HAVING ARCUATE SURFACES ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE INNER SURFACE OF A COLLAR AND FROM SAID SIDE CORNERS, A FRONT IRONING BLOCK FOR IRONING THE FRONT OF SAID COLLAR, AN IRONING PLATE HAVING A CONVEX IRONING SURFACE INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID SIDE IRONING BLOCKS FOR IRONING THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID BACK PORTION BETWEEN SAID SIDE IRONING BLOCKS, MEANS COMMONLY MOUNTING SAID SIDE IRONING BLOCKS, FRONT IRONING BLOCK AND PLATE FOR RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT TO AND FROM A COMMON CENTER, AND MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID BLOCKS AND PLATE. 